The present invention relates to a putter for golf, the putter having a unique capability to provide a user an improved method of reading a golf green. In optional embodiments, the putter grip for a putter may include a blade incorporated into the grip to enable a more accurate reading of the golf green as to the degree of break so that a user may better putt the ball in playing the sport.
Golf is a sport utilizing many types of clubs where a player attempts to hit a ball into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes as possible. The primary equipment used in striking a golf ball is a set of golf clubs with each club including a shaft with a grip and a club head on the opposite end of the club. A maximum of fourteen clubs is allowed in a player's possession at one time during a round of golf. Often, golfers change or select different types of clubs based upon their style of play and possibly due to the specific course on which they will play.
One club that is almost always present within a player's bag is a putter which differs from that of the irons or woods which make up the majority of the golf clubs. A putter is generally used from a close distance to the cup typically on a putting green or possibly from the surrounding areas. In today's game of golf the putter is an especially important tool which provides a specific type of ball movement with almost all golfers including one in their bag.
One may describe the act of putting as one of the more precise aspects of the game of golf where a golfer attempts to provide a smooth stroke to launch the ball with relatively little bounce toward the cup on a putting green. Putters may have a variety of different shapes of the club head and furthermore may include a variety of different shaft lengths. For example, lengths of putters include a traditional putter having a 32 to about 35 inch shaft as well as belly putters which generally have a shaft about 6 to 10 inches longer than a normal putter and which are typically anchored against a player's body.
In preparing to make a putt the golfer has to take in certain considerations which include the general speed of the green or putting surface, the general conditions of the putting surface including moisture, divots, bumps, etc. and furthermore also the slope of the putting surface. Often this is considered one of the more challenging tasks and as such a variety of different implements have been created to help golfers make putts more easily. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,568 issued to Green discloses a golf club with reference plumb marker. Generally, the markers help provide a vertical reference line to approximate the contour of the green by the user. As disclosed in the '568 patent, the golfer grips the golf club loosely at the grip, holding the club at about arm's length in front of the user in a pendulum-like manner so that a vertical line is generally created so that a reference line is provided for reading the contours of a green.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,114 issued to Catalano, a golf putter with slope indicating means therein is disclosed. The putter as disclosed in the '114 patent includes a level means indicating the desired angle at which the putter striking surface should strike the ball and the desired curvature of the path of the ball to the cup. This level means as disclosed in the '114 patent may comprise a pendulum recessed in the putter head or further more may comprise a thin flat dish-shaped housing mounted in a recess in the putter head so that a level indicating device may represent the slope of the green and the desired path for the ball to be represented by color and clearly visible to the user.
Piotrowski et al. discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,162 a golf putter with green reading features. Generally a putter as disclosed in the '162 patent provides reference lines through the geometric shape of the putter head so that the contours of a green may be more easily read. This may include both a vertical and horizontal reference line formed from the shape of the putter head and shaft so that a golfer has visible reference lines for allegedly reading the contours of the green.